Airplane and child seats?

[AngieWin]

We are going to Disneyland for Spring Break with 3 kids (9, 8 and 21 months) and 2 adults. We have the entire row (2 seats on one side and 3 on the other) and are bringing my toddler Britax roundabout carseat. My question is, is there are requirement on where the child seat is strapped in? I have heard it has to be on the window seat, but is that just for rear-facing? (He is forward facing). And if so, which side of the aisle is easier to strap the carseat in? I don't want my husband to have to distort his arm to snap the seatbelt against the side of the plane.

And any other hints for traveling with a carseat and toddler? We have an hour layover and switch planes in Texas.

 

[jckdisneybound]

The carseats must be placed in the window seat. In case of evacuation, the car seat would inhibit someone from getting out if it was anywhere else. Hope that helps.

 

[all4fun]

In addition, child car seats may not be placed in an exit row (where the emergency exits are). I have also heard that you can't put them in bulkhead seats but it could also be that they just might not fit in bulkhead seats, because the armrests don't move.

hth.

 

[AngieWin]

In addition, child car seats may not be placed in an exit row (where the emergency exits are). I have also heard that you can't put them in bulkhead seats but it could also be that they just might not fit in bulkhead seats, because the armrests don't move.

hth.

When we booked the tickets we told them we had a carseat, so I am hoping they put us in an appropriate aisle. I am sending dh and older ds on the plane first with the carseat so I am hoping they have it taken care of before we get on

 

[Colinsmom]

You also cannot install them in the row behind an exit row. I did not know this, and American put us behind the exit row. Our plane was already pushed back and ready to taxi when the flight attendants realized it and had to move us. Fortunately, the plane wasn't very full so they found us alternate seats (together) quickly!!

 

[TiggerStac]

We have had our son on trips and he has always been in the middle, we have never been asked to move, nor were we aware that he should be anyplace specific. On his first trip he was 5 months and in an infant carrier rear facing in the middle seat and on every trip since, he has been in a "booster style" car seat. We never lugged his huge evenflo triumph on a plane. I can see where there could be a problem if they were in a seat rear facing....if we had the triumph. But I don't remember how it was when he was in his infant carrier...I always get the aisle

 

[all4fun]

When we booked the tickets we told them we had a carseat, so I am hoping they put us in an appropriate aisle. I am sending dh and older ds on the plane first with the carseat so I am hoping they have it taken care of before we get on

You should be ok. If they did make a mistake, then they should correct it before the plane starts to taxi.

hth!

 

[NotUrsula]

Do NOT expect the telephone reservation agent to know without prompting that there are certain seats other than those in the exit row which do not allow carseats. Very, very few of them know the rules for carseat placement. Lots of gate agents don't know, either. FA's should know, but you won't make any friends if you wait that long to find out that the seat placement is a problem.

When you call, tell them that you want to be sure of getting a "legal" spot for the carseat. This means window position, no exit row, and also not the row immediately in front of *or* behind the exit row. If your carseat is no wider than 17" at the base, it should fit in an aircraft seat, though you almost always have to raise the armrests to get it belted in. For that reason, a bulkhead usually will not work. Oh, don't sit in the last row, either; it can be impossible to UN-belt the carseat in that row. (Sometimes you have to reach up behind the seat to unlatch the belt; won't work if there is a bulkhead behind the seat.)

It is usually easier to belt a carseat in on the port side of the aircraft, b/c you will usually pull the belt-end away from the wall in order to take up the slack in the belt. On the starboard side, you usually have to pull it toward the wall. BTW, it is almost always easier for a woman to install a carseat on an aircraft than it is for a man, mostly b/c of height, as you are working under the overhead bins. Small hands help, too, b/c the seatbelt latches in the center, rather than the side.